Loom buffer



June 16, 1959 J. (5., CHAPMAN LOOM BUFFER Filed Dec.

FIG. 4

INVENTOR J. G .CHAPMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent LOOM BUFFER John G. Chapman, Ellijay, Ga.

Application December 16, 1957, Serial No. 702,859

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-188) This invention relates to textile fabrics of various kinds and to equipment employed in the weaving or production thereof as well as to the fabric which eventually will be used in the production of wearing apparel or other materials including those used commercially.

The invention relates especially to the lay assembly of a loom which at a high rate of speed reciprocates or rocks back and forth to beat the filling into the fell of the cloth at the front center and to permit the passage of the shuttle through the shed of the warp at the back center, and this action creates shock vibration which causes the bearings and other parts of the machine to wear rapidly as well as vibrating the floor on which the loom is mounted.

Heretofore, the lay assembly has been rocked back and forth by a crank shaft and connecting pitman arms. At the beginning and end of each stroke the loom has been subjected to vibrations having a deleterious effect on the working parts of the machine and in some cases on the building in which the machine is housed and requiring many parts to be replaced after a short period of operation. Also at the beginning and end of each stroke of the lay assembly it has been necessary to overcome the inertia of the latter which temporarily had to come to a complete stop in order to reverse its direction of movement, and consequently increased horse power was necessary to operate the loom at the required speed.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the difiiculties enumerated and to provide simple and inexpensive structure for cushioning shock vibration at the end of each stroke and for reducing the wear on the several bearings and the moving parts of the lay assembly.

Another object is to provide structure which will aid in overcoming inertia at the beginning of each stroke thereby reducing the horse power required for operating the loom or to increase the speed of the loom using the same horse power and at the same time relieve the loom brake of considerable strain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a portion of a loom with one embodiment of the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2, a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and illustrating the lay assembly in the front center position;

Fig. 3, a vertical section, similar to Fig. 2, with the lay assembly in the rear center position; and

Fig. 4, an enlarged detail section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a shaft pivotally connected to the movable lay assembly of a loom, which shaft is located in an opening in one flange of an angle member fixed to the frame of the loom. A pair of buffer springs are located one on each side of the angle member and the compression of which springs are variable by means of lock nuts on such shaft at the ends of the springs opposite the flange. The springs thus reduce the vibration of the lay assembly as it approaches and comes to rest in its rocking motion at the front and rear centers of the crank shaft and after these centers are passed the springs aid in overcoming the inertia of the lay assembly.

With continued reference to the drawing, a loom 10 has a lay assembly 11 including a reed cap 12 and a lay beam 13 attached to the upper extremities of a pair of lay swords 14, the opposite ends of which are supported by pivot rocker shaft 15 carried by bearings 16 in brackets 17.

The upper end of each of the lay swords 14 is provided with a pair of ears 18 for the reception of a pivot pin 19 which has pivotally connected thereto one end of a pitman arm 20 intermediate the ears 18. The opposite end of the pitman arm is pivotally connected to. a crank 22 on a crank shaft 23, driven by a pulley 24 and a belt 25 or by gears, from a source of power not shown.

The rotation of the crank shaft 23 and crank 22 causes the lay assembly 11 to reciprocate or rock back and forth about the pivot rocker shaft 15 at a speed of approximately rpm. This causes the lay assembly to start and stop approximately 360 times per minute. The inertia which must be overcome increases the horse power requirements and the momentum creates a shock vibration which is imparted to the entire machine and the building in which the machine is housed.

To overcome the forces of inertia and momentum an angle member 26 is attached to each of the lay swords 14 by bolt 27 and nut 28. The downwardly extending flange of the angle 26 has an opening 29 near each of the lay swords 14 for the reception of a reduced externally threaded portion 30 of yoke 31 held in fixed relation to angle 26 by a nut 32.

The yoke carries a pin 33 which pivotally supports a socket member 34. A shaft or rod 35 is threaded on both ends and is adapted to screw into the socket member 34 and be held in position by a lock nut 36. The shaft 35 passes through and is guided by an opening 37 in an angle bracket 38 secured by bolts 39 and nuts 40 to an anchor member 41 attached to each side of the loom 10.

In order to cushion the momentum and assist in overcoming the inertia of the lay assembly a pair of springs 42, one on each side of the angle 38, is carried by the shaft 35.

The compression of these springs 42 is adjustable by the lock nuts 43 and 44 which threadedly engage each end of the shaft 35.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in operation, as the crank shaft rotates the crank and the lay assembly moves either forwardly or backwardly and approaches the end of its stroke, the lock nut 43 will force one of the springs 4-2 into engagement with the angle 38. Further movement of the lay assembly will compress the spring and arrest the momentum of the lay assembly. As the lay assembly begins its return movement the spring which has been compressed will help to overcome the inertia of the lay assembly.

It will also be apparent that the present invention not only will reduce the vibration of the loom and the building and the wear on the bearings but also will reduce the horse power required to drive the loom at a given rate of speed or will increase the speed derived from the same horse power.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for application to a loom having a frame and a lay assembly which moves back and forth, said device comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said frame in fixed relation and having an opening therethrough, a rod movable endwise within said opening, both extremities of said rod being externally threaded, a pivot connection for securing one end of said rod to said lay assembly so that said rod will be moved endwise in opposite directions through said opening in said bracket, lock nuts on the threaded end portions of said rod providing abutments and a cushioning spring on said rod between said bracket and each of said abutments for absorbing the shock of the portion of said lay assembly at the limit of its movement in each direction, said cushioning means likewise serving to assist in overcoming inertia at the begnning of each endwise movement of said rod.

2. A device for application to a loom having a frame and a lay assembly which moves back and forth, said device comprising a bracket adapted to be affixed to said frame and having an opening therethrough, an elongated member movable endwise through said opening and having its extremities externally threaded, a pivot connection for securing one end of said elongated member to said lay assembly so that said elongated member will be moved back and forth through the opening in said bracket, lock nuts on the threaded portions of said elongated member, and a cushioning spring about said elongated member on each side of said bracket for absorbing shock upon the termination of the movement of said member.

3. In a loom comprising, a lay assembly including a pitman arm, crank, and driving means for the crank to cause said lay assembly to move back and forth in a loom, improved cushioning means for said lay assembly at the end of its movement in each direction, said improved cushioning means comprising a fixed support, a member extending through and having an abutment on each side of said support, spring means between each said abutment and said fixed support, and a connection between said member extending through said support and said lay assembly whereby upon movement of said lay assembly in each direction the termination of said movement will be cushioned by said spring means.

4. For use on a loom having a lay assembly which moves back and forth, a device for cushioning the lay assembly toward each end of its movement, said device comprising a support constructed to be secured in fixed relation relative to said loom, a member cooperatively associated with said fixed support and having portions on opposite sides thereof, abutment means operatively associated with said member on opposite sides of said support, cushioning means operatively disposed between said fixed support and each of said abutments in a manner to cushion the movement of said member in opposite directions, and a connection between said member and the lay assembly of the loom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,323,391 Hillman Dec. 2, 1919 1,642,769 Davis Sept. 20, 1927 2,054,150 Watson et al Sept. 15, 1936 2,136,077 Gobeille Nov. 8, 1938 2,488,730 Lake et a1. Nov. 22, 1949 

